It’s both traumatic and tragic that the number of deaths of black and brown people at the hands of the police continues to climb with what we could mark as almost daily anniversaries. It is just one month shy of a year since George Floyd was killed by police, 13 months since Breonna Taylor’s death at the hands of police, and mere days since Daunte Wright was killed. Even after the spark of anti-racism movements and protests, the list of names is prolific. We have heard about the deaths of Rayshard Brooks, Daniel Prude, Atatiana Jefferson, Tony McDade, Stephon Clark, Philando Castile, Alton Sterling, Tansiha Fonville, Freddie Gray, Eric Garner, and countless others.
We grieve, for their loss and all others who have been wounded or killed by police, including Dijon Kizzee, shot by LASD and Mario Woods, shot by SFSD; who both received their diploma as part of Five Keys class of 2015. We recognize and support the communities who show strength and courage in the struggle to reform and reimagine our criminal legal system (Impact Justice) and the very meaning of public safety; we also acknowledge our relationships with the systems we critique.
As we watched the Derek Chauvin guilty verdict being read yesterday for the murder of George Floyd, Minnesota Attorney General-elect, Keith Ellison verbalized a profound truth, the outcome is “not justice, but accountability.” So, the verdict stands for more than just the holding of one jury, but the urgent desire and push to see even the smallest degree of continued accountability for the police taking lives, where historically violence perpetrated at their hands has been exercised with complete impunity.
Before we could even get this email distributed, we were notified of the killing of yet another child at the hands of the police. Weeks ago, we saw the news of Adam Toledo, and just yesterday, we were notified of the killing of 16-year-old Ma’Khia Bryant who was killed by the police in Columbus, OH mere minutes before Chauvin’s guilty verdict was read. While I don’t have all the details there is absolutely no justification. While writing this response, CNN just announced that another unarmed black man, Andrew Brown, Jr. who was shot 4 times and killed by police this morning in Ohio.
The Five Keys DEIB Council has shared our feedback on the verdict which is being incorporated into this email. We must respect our individuality as each of us takes in what happened yesterday and more importantly what we have experienced over the last year in the midst of a pandemic. Ma’Khia Bryant and Andrew Brown, Jr’s deaths have already launched protests and outrage in communities across America. In that vein, our Council thought it useful to share our perspective and resources that we hope will be helpful in your work.
As we embark on another day of senseless murders against BIPOC communities, I want us to fuel ourselves with the importance of supporting our students and clients on being safe, being aware, and being advocates for their own civil rights, while also identifying ways to stay safe. The goal of education is to prepare students for the world they navigate each day. In reaching this charge, we must equip them with strategies that will successfully impart knowledge about race and justice while providing them a safe space to process the everyday injustices we face.
Feedback from your DEIB Council
Our call to action is next in our fight for social justice. An article posted online stated, “America occasionally extends justice to black people who are victims of police brutality because extending that justice in a few instances keeps intact the racially oppressive nature of the system” (The Undefeated).
Five Keys has been founded on principles of restorative justice. This verdict, though providing some much-needed accountability, cannot take the place of all the restorative work that must be done to heal our communities and all of the families that have been and continue to be harmed by racial injustice. We are grateful for some accountability and believe it is the foundation of repair and change. We are also deeply saddened thinking about all of the Black families who have lost loved ones at the hands of police, where no accountability has been served. May we both celebrate accountability, stay committed to our fight for true justice, and honor those whose killers were not held accountable.
This article explains that change derives from a commitment to accountability. Simply put, accountability is essential for change to occur so we must strive for it consistently. Another good resource on the topic of a culture of accountability and change is: Inclusion, Diversity, The New Workplace, and The Will to Change by Jennifer Brown. Without this commitment to accountability, organizations and systems will continue to suffer making change extremely difficult and prolonged.
Here are some additional resources shared by the Council that you can use with your students and your teams. This website is a valuable tool and also includes resources for our AAPI community experiencing racial hate.
As you may already see, the road ahead is long and winding. We have so much to do as a society but yesterday, someone was held accountable for his actions and that is a step forward. Still, the nation is in need of healing and so while we can take this moment as respite, still the fight goes on until police are truly here to protect and serve ALL.
We must continue to work as a public institution to exercise our power to change society for the better, to transform the institutions we frequent that sometimes promote systemic racism and to advance the values of justice and peace. You have all chosen to be members of the Five Keys community and have embraced this work and we are so grateful.
It is our hope that everyone in our community asks themselves, “Where is my influence in creating a more just society?” We cannot be bystanders on such crucial issues of racial justice and live up to our mission to ensure the transformation in society as leaders, staff, students, clients and partners. It must be a collective approach.
In Solidarity,
DEIB Council